"Finally, Latinos
are often presented as a monolithic group, as if the vast differences in national
origin, geography, native language, race, class, and place of birth, among
others, did not exit. The feeling that 'if you've seen one Latino, you've
seen them all' is perpetuated in children's literature when no provisions
are made for such differences."--Gerardo Marin and Barbara Vanoss Marin

With lovely illustrations and delightful
texts, the following picture books feature positive portrayals of Hispanic and
Latin American children. Strong images of these many cultures can make Hispanic
and Latin American audiences feel admired and respected, while teaching non-Hispanic
and non-Latin American audiences to appreciate these communities. Most importantly,
these positive images can serve to remind us all of the universality of human
life.

Many of the books on this list have
won writing and/or illustration awards, as indicated in parentheses after the
bibliographic entries. The newest of these prizes is the Pura Belpre award,
given by the American Library Association's Association for Library Service
to Children (ALSC) and the National Association to Promote Library Services
to the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA), an ALA affiliate. Initiated in 1996, the
Pura Belpre award honors authors and illustrators of Hispanic heritage. This
biennial award was named after the New York Public Library's first Latina librarian.
For a complete listing of the Pura Belpre books and honor books, see
the ALA Website.

Another major prize is the Americas
Award, begun in 1993. Sponsored by the National Consortium of Latin American
Studies Programs (CLASP), the Americas Award honors engaging and authentic representations
of Latin American and Hispanic life experiences. In addition to annual award
winners and honorable mentions, the committee also issues an extensive list
of commended books. For a complete listing of the Americas Award winners and
commended titles, see
the CLASP Website.